Fibreboard shipping container



Jan. 17, 1956 H. w. LAYNE FIBREBOARD SHIPPING CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed June 16. 1952 INVENTOR.

United States Patent FIBREBOARD SHIPPING CONTAINER Harold W. Layne,Beech Grove, Ind., assignor to Anderson Box Company, Indianapolis, Ind.,a corporation Application June 16, 1952, Serial No. 293,723 4 Claims.Cl. 29-44 This invention relates to a fibreboard shipping container, andis particularly applicable to a self-locking stapleless shippingcontainer for eggs and like products, made of corrugated fibreboard andsimilar materials.

The object and feature of this invention lies in the construction of ashipping container of the above char- .acterwhich may be formed from asingle pre-cut rectangular'blank with a minimum of waste material, andwhich may be formed into a shipping container with no requirement ofstitching or taping. Thus, the structure embodies'the advantages ofbeing produced economically with a minimum of waste material capable ofbeing shipped or stored in the flat both before erectionand after use,and erected for use quickly and without the usual stitching or taping.In addition to the above, the erected container embodies strength instacking during shipping, due to the strength of the end constructionand the solid construction of the bottom panel.

A further feature of theinvention resides in the one piece solid lidconstruction hinged to and forming a continuation of one of the sidewalls and having a frictional retaining lock with the opposite sidewall, coupled with the provision of a partition insert piece forpermitting the closing and locking of the lid without interferencetherefrom. Thus, the lid structure and its locking arrangement withrespect to the side Wall and the insert partition piece prevents the lidfrom blowing open when the cases are used for haulage in open trucks.

Another feature of the invention resides in the end wall structure whichgives the multiple ply strength at the base portion, but to a lesserdegree toward the upper portion.

' An additional feature of the invention resides in the open cover lock,whereby the cover or lid of the container may-be folded back against aside wall out of the way when packing or removing the contents. Suchside wall is provided with interlocking slots into which the lockingears of the cover lid may be inserted for interlocking action to holdthe lid in its folded down out-of-the-way position.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the followingspecifications and the attached drawings, as hereinafter morespecifically set forth.

' The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cut blank from which the containeriserected.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the container erected from the blank ofFig. 1.

' Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the container taken on the line3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section through the container taken on the line4-4 of Fig. 3.

'Fig. 5 is an enlarged section of the end lock with parts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the erected con- 2,731,191Patented Jan. 17 1956 ICC tainer with the cover lid locked in downwardlyextending open position.

In the drawings there is shown a die cut 'fibrewood .blank preferably ofcorrugated material from which the container is erected. Said'blank anderected container include a one piece bottom panel 10 scored at each endthereof along the lines 11 to permit folding upwardly of an outerclamping ear 12. Each of said ears is scored at 13 and terminates in aninner flap portion 14 having areduced locking projection 15 formed atthe end thereof.

Adjacent .the longitudinal edge of the bottom panel and separated by ascore line 16 there is a side wall panel 17. At the opposite side of thebottom panel and separated by a score line 18 there is a correspondingside wall panel .19. The side wall panel 19 is formed with a score line20 along the opposite edge thereof which is broken by a pairof spacedand aligned slots 21. Joined with the side panel 19 there is a narrowinner flap portion 22. The cutout part of the slots 21 leaves anupstanding abutment projection 23.

The other side of the side wall panel 17 is scored at 24 to jointherewith a hinged cover lid 25. Said cover lid is of the same width andcorresponds in shape to the bottom panel 10 and is formedwith a pair oflocking ears 26 adapted to be projected through the slots 21 infrictional locking engagement between the inner flap'22 and the abutmentprojection 23 to hold it in its closed position for shipment, as shownin Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 6,, said locking ears 26 may be projectedthrough the slots 21a in the panel 19. Thus, the cover lid may not onlybe locked in its open position; but folded back against the side wa1l'17in a manner to avoid interference with packing or unpacking thecontents.

' At opposite ends of the side wall panel 17 there is an outer end panel27. Each of said end panels is provided with a slot 23 and a hand holeopening 29, and is separated from the side panel by a score line 30. 'Atopposite'ends of the side wall panel 19 there areinner end'pane'ls 31.Each of said panels 31 is formed with slots 28" 'andhand hole openings29, each adapted'to reg'ister'with the corresponding slot 28 and handliole opening 29 of the panel 27 when the'container is erected, as showninFigs. 3 and'4l Said inner panels 31 are joined with the panel 19 by thescore lines 32.

' Joined to each of the outer end panels 27 there is an innerreinforcingand locking panel 33 having a hand hole 29 adapted toregister with the hand'holes 29 and 29. The locking panels 33 lieadjacent but separated from opposite ends of the cover lid 25 when'th'eblank is cut, and is joined byspac'e'd score lines with the adjacentedges of the outer end panels 27' to be folded inwardly thereof with alid supportingledge indicated at 34. Opposite the folded over ledgeportion 34, at the lower free end of the locking panel, there isprovided a lockingprojection' 35, the locking projections 15 and 35being adapted to extend into and interlock with the opening 36 providedin the bottom panel 10 adjacent each end thereof. As shown in Figs. land3 the end panels 27 have formed in their hand holes 29 a hand grip'fla'p 37 which is integral with the 'panel but separated therefrom by ascore line 38. The flap comprises approxiinatelyhalf of the cutoutportion of the hand hole, being of a width to 'span'the several 'end andlocking panels but having a cut away edge at 39 such as to lie flushwith the inner surface of t he locking panel 33 so as not to projectinto the container and interfere with the contents.

When the container is erected the side wall panels 17, 19 are foldedupwardly from opposite sides of the bottom, the end panels 27, 31 beingpositioned in registry with each other. The outer clamping ears 12 arethen folded upwardly to extend over the outer surface of the outer panel27. The inner flap portion 14 of the clamping ear is inserted throughthe slots 2%, 28 in each end panel and then bent downwardly to engageand interlock the projection 15 in the opening 36, as shown in Figs. 3and 5. The inner reinforcing and looking panel 33 comprising a foldingextension of the end panel 27, is folded over the upper exposed edges ofboth end panels to extend downwardly interiorly of the container inadjacent embracing engagement with the inner flap portion 14. Thelocking projection 35 is then engaged and interlocked in the opening 36.Thus, the container is locked in its erected form, as shown in Fig. 2,through the clamping and holding of the end panels 27, 31 by theclamping ear and flap portion 12, 14, and thereupon reinforced anddouble locked by the locking panel 33.

Having thus erected the container, the inner flap portion 22 is bentinwardly from the side wall panel 1& leaving the upstanding abutmentprojections 23 on the outer side of the slots 21 formed thereby. Thehinged cover lid is then folded over from the side wall panel 17 withits locking cars 26 bent to extend downwardly for sliding engagementwith the inner flap portion 22 into end abutting engagement with theprojections 23 for registry with the slots 21. Thereupon the lockingears are projected through the slots with the cover lid closed andresting firmly upon the ledges 34 of the container and panels. Due tothe inherent spring tension of the inner flap portion 22 it will havethe effect of gripping and clamping the locking ears 36, such as toresist opening of the cover lid, all as more particularly shown anddescribed in the application of Norbert F. Schaefer, Serial No. 225,957,filed May 12, 1951, for Shipping Carton.

The container may include a partition insert of one piece S-shapedformation having a center partition portion 40 and oppositely disposedwing portions 41. Each of the wing portions along the top and bottomedges thereof are provided with cutout flaps 42, which flaps may behinged inwardly about their respective score lines 43. Said flaps are sospaced that at least one of them registers with one of the slots 21 ofthe inner flap portion 22. This arrangement of the inwardly disposedflaps 42 is to prevent interference of one of the wing portions 41 withthe free entry of the locking ears 26 into the slots. Without sucharrangement and with one of the wing portions of the partition insertlying against one of the side walls immediately under and in registrywith one of the slots 21, the locking ears would be blocked from entry,wherefore the flaps 42 are bent inwardly to eliminate such interference.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the entire container is ofone piece, requiring no stitching or taping in its erection. Anobservation of Fig. 1 will illustrate the rectangular form of the blankwith the minimum of waste material. The bottom panel it? is of one pieceand the erected ends of the container are greatly strengthened in thatthey are formed of five thicknesses of board with the super structure ofthe end walls comprising three full thicknesses. The container may bevery quickly erected from the blank and locked together through themedium of the locking projections 15, 35. It may as readily bedisassembled for storage purposes after use. Thus, both for shipment andstorage, either before or after use as an erected container, it may bein its knockdown or flat form.

The invention claimed is:

1. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard includinga one piece bottom panel having a slot at each end thereof, adjacentside panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, a hinged cover lid foldableover from the upper edge of one of the side panels, each of said sidepanels having end panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereofrespectively, the end panels of one side panel overlapping the endpanels of the other side panel to provide the end walls when the sidepanels are erected, said end panels having registering slots and handgrip openings, said slots being located substantially midway thereof andbelow said openings, a clamping ear hingedly connected to opposite endsof said bottom panel adapted to be folded upwardly exteriorly of andadjacent the outer end panels and having an inner flap portion adaptedto be inserted and extend through said slots for folding inwardly anddownwardly adjacent the inner end panels, inner reinforcing lockingpanels hinged to the upper edges of the end panels of one of said sidepanels adapted to be folded inwardly and downwardly adjacent the innerend panels and over said flap portion, and locking projections on saidflap portions and locking panels adapted to extend into and interlockwith said bottom panel slots for clamping and securing said end panelsin erected position.

2. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard includinga one piece bottom panel having a slot at each end thereof, adjacentside panels to be folded upwardly therefrom, each of said side panelshaving end panels hingedly formed at opposite ends thereof respectively,the end panels of one side panel overlapping the end panels of the otherside panel to provide double thickness end walls when the side panelsare erected, said end panels having registering slots, a clamping earhingedly connected to each end of said bottom panel adapted to be foldedupwardly exteriorly of and adjacent the outer end panels and having aninner flap portion adapted to be inserted and extend through said slotsrespectively for folding inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner endpanels, inner reinforcing locking panels hinged to the upper edges ofthe end panels respectively of one of said side panels adapted to befolded inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner end panels and oversaid flap portion, and locking projections on said flap portions andlocking panels adapted to extend into and interlock with said bottompanel slots for clamping and securing said end panels in erectedposition.

3. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard includinga one piece bottom panel, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardlytherefrom, each of said side panels having end panels hingedly formed atopposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one side paneloverlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide the endwalls when the side panels are erected, said end panels havingregistering slots and hand grip openings, said slots being locatedsubstantially midway thereof and below said openings,'a clamping earhingedly connected to opposite ends of said bottom panel adapted to befolded upwardly exteriorly of and adjacent the outer end panels andhaving an inner flap portion adapted to be inserted and extend throughsaid slots for folding inwardly and downwardly adjacent the inner endpanels, inner reinforcing locking panels hinged to the upper edges ofthe end panels of one of said side panels adapted to be folded inwardlyand downwardly adjacent the inner and panels and over said flap portion,means for locking said flap portions and locking panels in theirinwardly folded position for clamping and securing said end panels inerected position, and a hand grip flap cut from each of said hand gripopenings in the outer end panels and hinged inwardly therefrom, saidhand grip flaps being trimmed to approximately half the width of thehand grip openings with their inner edges lying flush with said innerreinforcing locking panels.

4. A shipping container formed of a single blank of fibreboard includinga one piece bottom panel, adjacent side panels to be folded upwardlytherefrom, a hinged cover lid foldable over from the upper edge of oneof the side panels, each of said side panels having panels hingedlyformed at opposite ends thereof respectively, the end panels of one sidepanel overlapping the end panels of the other side panel to provide theend walls when the side panels are erected, means for securing said endpanels in their overlapped end wall forming position, an inner flapportion extending inwardly and integrally with the other one of saidside panels and having a tongue receiving slot therein adjacent itshinged connection therewith, said cover lid having a locking ear formedfrom the free edge thereof to extend into and lock with said inner flapportion slot, and a partition insert seat-able between said side wallpanels having wing portions lying adjacent thereto, at least one of saidwing portions normally lying in the plane of the ear receiving slot, anda flap formed in the upper edge of the insert wing lying under the earreceiving slot of said inner flap portion adapted to be bent inwardlythereof to free said slot and permit entry of the locking ear therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,803,736 Sinclair May 5, 1931 1,971,l98 Ottinger Aug. 21, 19342,190,433 Palmer Feb. 13, 1940 2,407,463 Williams Sept. 10, 19462,459,939 Hill Jan. 25, 1949 2,567,832 Vadner Sept. 11, 1951 2,568,204Reeser Sept. 18, 1951 2,581,944 Donnell Jan. 8, 1952

